


No Matter What I Do, I’m Always Stuck With You

by sugarfr0g



Category: Cats - Andrew Lloyd Webber
Genre: Angst, Brother Relationships, Don’t Judge, Gen, If You Squint - Freeform, Includes my Headcanons, It’s gonna get sad, Soap Opera standard Cat Drama, based on a lot of stuff i saw in the tour, cried while writing this!, its gonna hurt, mac looks like his current version, might have ships, old deut gets cryptic messages from the everlasting, so grab your tissues and popcorn, some weird amalgamation of 1998 and 2019 tour, title is from a sophia the first song
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-15
Updated: 2019-09-14
Packaged: 2020-10-18 19:55:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,468
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20644775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sugarfr0g/pseuds/sugarfr0g
Summary: “ Munkustrap wants to operate under the assumption that Macavity could be good. But as he feels his claws slash across his face, he has doubts. “A collection of interconnected drabbles that tell the story of three brothers, and how one or more of them became emotionally constipated.From the birth of Munkustrap to after the Ball.Tears may be spilled.





	No Matter What I Do, I’m Always Stuck With You

**Author's Note:**

> Hey y’all! This is my first Cats fic. If you think this isn’t a total garbage fire, leave a kudos! I just got into Cats this summer and a series of roleplays led to me to wonder about these three brothers. Enjoy!

When Munkustrap was born, he was already predestined to be the leader of the Jellicles.

His brother, Macavity had been too when he was born. But at a young age the kit had proved himself rather... unsuited to be leader. And when the Everlasting Cat sent Deuteronomy a new son, he knew that this one would be perfect for the position when he was grown.

“He looks weird,” Macavity grumbled, eyes screwed in distaste. The kit was barely into the cat equivalent of tweenagedom, and he already had a brother. He and his father were hunkered over Munkustrap’s mother and the sleeping kit. “Why’s he get to be the leader?”

“The Everlasting Cat willed it so,” Deuteronomy answered sagely, smoothing a rogue piece of fur on Macavity’s head.

Macavity wondered what the Everlasting Cat thought when he made a kitten the heir. He reached out and pointed at Munkustrap’s eyes, which were currently closed. That was weird. He hadn’t seen him open his eyes once, yet the kitten was clearly awake. “Why are his eyes closed?”

“Every cat is blind when they’re born. You were too,” Munkustrap’s mother said. The birth had taken a toll on her, and she was quite tired.

“I was not. I already could see, I bet. I just don’t remember.”

Deuteronomy couldn’t find use in explaining that yes, he too was blind when he was a kit. “He’ll open his eyes soon enough. And then you can play with him. I’m sure you’ll be great friends.”

Macavity glowered at the grey kitten. “Yeah, whatever. I bet he’s boring.” He ducked out of the makeshift shelter and out into the junkyard, muttering something about stupid brothers and the Everlasting. Munkustrap’s mother and Deuteronomy watched as the boy slinked out of sight.

“I hope you’re wrong,” Munkustrap’s mother said quietly. “He’s a nice boy. I don’t think he could ever do anything... bad, you know?”

“The Everlasting is not often wrong in it’s prophecies. If it says Macavity will grow up to be our greatest enemy, then he will most likely will.”

Deuteronomy looked down at Munkustrap. He was so small, and yet he had so much resting on his shoulders.

“The Everlasting says Munkustrap will be our leader, and I believe them.“

“And you believe what they say... about the two of them?”

Deuteronomy blinked.

“Get some rest.”

——

It took six weeks for Munkustrap to be able to walk and talk. Already, Macavity could tell they were different.

“Why do you get to be the Rumpus Cat? I want to be the Rumpus Cat.”

Macavity glared at his younger brother. “I’m older. I get to be the Rumpus Cat. You’re a Pollicle.”

Munkustrap looked confused at this logic. Macavity was only a little older than him, not yet a tom. Munkustrap didn’t exactly mind being a Pollicle, but oh, he loved this story and he loved the Rumpus Cat! He wanted to try being everyone in the story. But Macavity only let him be a Pollicle, which was no fun.

“I do wish we had another friend to be a Pollicle. That way we could switch the roles around. I think I’d like to be a the one who tells the story.”

“You want to tell it? That’s no fun.”

“Is too. Haven’t you heard the older cats when they tell stories? It’s like everyone puts their trust in them to tell it right. I think that’d be an honor.”

Munkustrap thought for a moment.

“Maybe you could get Demeter to play with us. She’s nice.”

“Demeter?” Macavity asked incredulously. “No. She wouldn’t like you.”

“She’s only a couple months older than me. Besides, she could be the Rumpus Cat and you could be a Pollicle. Or a Peke.”

“A Pollicle?” Macavity laughed, rolling his eyes. “No. I’m far too important to be some stupid Pollicle.”

Macavity wrapped the makeshift cape around his shoulders and climbed atop a pile of boxes. He squared his shoulders and steeled his attitude. He had heard that they sometimes told this story at the Ball, and it was a great honor to play the Rumpus Cat. When he was old enough to go, he would definitely play the Rumpus Cat.

“I, The Great Rumpus Cat, demand that you stupid dogs cease your fighting.”

Munkustrap sighed. He supposed he should play along, then.

“Oh no! The Great Rumpus Cat! Whatever will we do?”

Macavity jumped down from the boxes. He had intended to tackle Munkustrap to the ground as a Heroic Gesture, but his cape caught on a rogue chair legs and tore. Macavity fell a couple of feet short of his brother with an oof.

“You broke it!” Munkustrap whined.

“Ugh,” Macavity sighed. “Hold on.”

Macavity held the two pieces of cape together and focused, feeling a strange a stirring of energy rise from his chest to his fingertips. The frayed threads began to grasp onto each other and loop together until the two pieces were seamlessly connected. One couldn’t even tell they had ever been separate, unless they squinted.

Macavity had discovered these odd powers not long before Munk was born. Finding out about them— the experience— had not been fun. But they certainly were unique. And Deuteronomy, through a strained smile had said they had great potential.

“How come you can do that and I can’t?” Munkustrap asked, running his paws over the place where the tear had been. 

“Because I’m special. Now, get back into position.”

——

“A Jellicle cat is...” Old Deuteronomy prompted his second born.

“Of moderate size. Father, why must I know these things?”

“Knowing what makes a Jellicle a Jellicle is important, Munkustrap. If you’re ever to be a leader you must have these things memorized.”

Munkustrap was almost eight months old now. He had long past the age of accepting an answer at face value. But rather than question further, he just sighed.

“Father, can we take a break? I want to know why Macavity has been acting so odd.”

Deuteronomy raised his eyebrows.

“Well he’s been— he’s been grumpy, you know? Using his magic more. In fact, he shocked me earlier today. Is this puberty?”

At any other time, Deuteronomy would have laughed at the boy’s question. But so much plagued his mind. He knew why Macavity was so angry. And he knew that with every passing day, Macavity’s magic grew stronger and they creeped closer to the day he would—

“No, Munkustrap,” Deuteronomy sighed gently. “I told him something recently that made him upset. I figure it’s time I told you.”

The elder cat leaned in close and let a smile form on his face. “You are to be expecting a younger brother.”

“Oh. Oh! A younger brother! Why, father, that’s wonderful!” Munkustrap cheered. “But why would Macavity be upset about that?”

“You should too, you know. He might become the new heir,” Macavity cut in. His voice was laced with anger. He knew that these lessons were only for the heir and the leader, but that didn’t stop him from reappearing in the doorway. 

“Macavity,” Deuteronomy said in his best dad voice. “We’ve spoken about this.”

Macavity glared at his father, shooting imaginary rays of fire in their direction. “Fine. But you should be worried, Munk.”

He ducked out of the room and Deuteronomy sighed gently. 

“What did he mean?”

“Before you were born, he was the heir,” Deuteronomy explained. He has no need to hide it anymore. “I suppose he feels he’ll lose the attention even more and he wants you to be upset.”

“I’m not upset. I think I’ll like having a little brother to boss around. But I wouldn’t mind letting him be the leader.”

Deuteronomy smiled at his son. Reliable Munkustrap.

“Good. Now, what color is a Jellicle?”

——

“His name is the Rum Tum Tugger,” Deuteronomy explained, showing the kit to his two brothers. There had been complications with the kittens birth, and rhe tribe’s best healers were working on the kitten’s mother. Deuteronomy was trying to distract himself.

“That’s a mouthful. And he looks like a handful,” Macavity said.

Deuteronomy didn’t say that the Everlasting had told him that Tugger most certainly was going to be a pain. But a good pain, as it were. He also left out the fact that the Everlasting insisted that Munkustrap continue to be trained as the heir.

“He’s cute,” Munkustrap smiled. “I think I’ll call him Tugger.”

“Old Deuteronomy,” a queen said, coming from behind a pile of VHS tapes. “Please come quick. Bring the kitten.”

Old Deuteronomy followed dutifully, sparing the boys a final glance.

He wondered if they would be okay, growing up without a mother. It seemed Tugger’s wasn’t going to make it.

“I think you should be happy,” Munkustrap said.

“Why?” Macavity asked.

“We have someone to play Pekes and Pollicles with.”

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote that in thirty minutes, so sorry if there are any grammar errors! Anyways. You Know.


End file.
